A segment on 60 Minutes in February concerned the "Appeal For Redress" movement among US active duty and reserve soldiers.
I think it is important to stress that when a citizen signs on to be in the military, he or she is signing on to go where they are told, to do what they are told to do for as long as they are told they need to do it.
On the other hand, at many points throughout history, feedback from the rank and file has been ignored or misunderstood by general officers and politicians alike, to the detriment of everyone involved, even to the detriment of achieving stated military goals. To a point, complaint can be helpful. And soldiers demanding change can be far less demoralizing than having many soldiers being convinced that profound mistakes are being made by their superiors both civilian and military. It will be interesting to see if the movement reflects a widespread sentiment or is limited.





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